


Daddy Issues

by Measured_Words



Category: Adventure World (game)
Genre: Background Polyamory, Children, Divorce, Elves, Family, Family Dynamics, Father-Son Relationship, Gen, Parental Guilt, Parenthood, Past Relationship(s), Siblings, allusions to past abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-02
Updated: 2014-04-02
Packaged: 2018-01-17 22:32:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 908
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1404958
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Measured_Words/pseuds/Measured_Words
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Changeover days are always hard, but today Macen has hard questions about family.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Daddy Issues

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Nary](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nary/gifts).



> Stealing Sindarin family relationship terms for the elves here - Ada for 'daddy', nana for mummy (naneth for mother). Annadar for grandfather is the best approximation for grandfather I could steal of an internet forum :V

Macen almost always cried for Ada first when he was upset, even when Vedran wasn't away. In better moods, he was happy enough with any of his parents or assorted caregivers, but this was not a better mood. He was always more prone to outbursts when changeover day was close, and this was no exception. He'd been hogging everyone's toys all morning, knowing he wasn't going to be allowed to take them with him to his mother's. Mhireen, fed up, had snatched back a stolen book and run away out of the playroom, leaving the younger boy screeching and crying.

Everyone told Vedran that he shouldn't indulge him in these fits, and he tried not to, but he could hardly concentrate with his son crying for him so loudly, especially knowing he wasn't going to see him for another few weeks. Ardith looked a little harried, but she just gave him a resigned look when he excused himself and slipped down to the nursery suite. Amylia tried not to look too relieved when he came in and took over her space in the rocking chair. She collected the remaining children into the other room, trying to get Saiya and Edric to calm down as well.

Macen quieted down quickly with some cuddles and a little rocking, but he kept on sniffling until his father asked him what was wrong.

"I don't want to go to nana's," he said, burrowing into Vedran's arms and breaking his heart all over again. It was hard enough to let him go as it was.

"Your naneth would be very sad to hear that," he lied. She would be furious. "She misses you very much when you're here. Don't you miss her?"

Macen nodded, sniffing again. "Why can't nana come live here?"

"Oh well," Vedran said, feeling his heart sink even further, trying to keep his tone consoling. "I think naneth is very happy having her own place to live. I don't think she would like it very much."

"Then why can't Saiya and Mhireen and Edric come with me?"

This wasn't the first time they had had a conversation like this, but Vedran didn't dread it any less. It was a lot for a five year old to try and understand. "Well, sweetie, your brothers and sister are part of our family, but they’re not part of naneth's family the way you are. That's why you spend some time with both, hmm?"

"But nana is part of your family."

"Well, naneth is part of annadar Jesseryn's House, like I am and you are, but she's not part of our family."

It was hard to put on a brave calm face – even a few years on Vedran found it upsetting to think too much about the divorce, and especially in terms of the complications it caused for Macen. He spent his time moving between his parent's households, and Vedran worried about how it would affect his relationships with his siblings, the rest of whom all got to stay together, and about whether Macen would feel like he really belonged. The nuances of the situation were still beyond his comprehension at five, and there were things Vedran didn't think he would ever be able to explain. He braced himself for the follow up, knowing that the conversation was only bound to get trickier. True to form, Macen looked up at him with wide blue eyes, much like Vedran's own save for their innocence.

"Why?"

"Well. We tried to be a family, for a little while, but it didn't work very well."

"Why?"

"We weren't very happy, buddy, that's all." It hurt to say. He was lying to his son, who would realize at some point that, especially among people of their class, happiness wasn't always an important consideration when it came to marriage. It dismissed a lot of his pain as well, and the conversation was doing enough to reopen old wounds already.

"Are you happy now Ada?"

"Well, thinking about it makes me sad, but I'm very happy with our family. I love you and Saiya and Mhireeen and Edric very much, and I love mama Ardith and daddy Aleyn."

"I love you too, ada."

Vedran smiled at that – it was soothing to hear, though his guilt still left him unsettled. "Thank you, Macen. That's always very nice to hear. Do you think you can play nice until it is time to go to your naneth's? I think it is almost time for your lessons anyway."

Macen nodded, a little grudgingly. "I still don't want to go."

"I know it's hard, buddy, but you'd be more sad if you didn't get to see her. I'm sure you'll have lots of fun, and everyone will be here when you get back."

"Okay." Macen struggled to sit up then, trying to squirm out of his father's lap, but Vedran wasn't quite ready to let him go.

"Can I have a hug first?"

Macen obliged him, but once his mind was set on something he was not easily distracted, and he ran off promptly to the other room where the chatter of the other children indicated that Kier had turned up. Vedran was left sitting alone in the rocking chair in the empty nursery, his heavy heart holding him down until he could work up the energy to slip out and return to Ardith, hoping Aleyn wasn't too far away, in search of more considered solace.


End file.
